I am a big fan of Chris Reeve Knives.. and of all the Chris Reeve Knives (CRK) fixed blades out there, the Pacific has got to be my favourite, with the Green Beret coming in a close second. The Pacific has a fantastic finishing and looks as well as great feel and balance in the hand, which can sometimes be hard to find all in the same knife.

Blade
The Pacific features a fairly wide clip-point blade slightly reminiscent of a Kabar USMC knife, with a hollow ground CPM S35VN blade hardened to 55-57HRC with CRK’s signature Kubuli serrations on the back portion of the blade. Kubuli Serrations work quite well in my limited use of them, but I did not find them any more proficient than standard serrations even though they are supposed to be more aggressive. I suspect there might be a slight advantage in terms of strength as the sharpened portions alternate from one side to the other, making the blade edge less prone to damage.

Out of the box, the blade is VERY sharp, and can pop hairs with ease. The blade is on the thick side, so the knife is not the best slicer, but makes a great outdoorsman or survival blade. It does excel at chopping and has a Gun Kote finish for low-profile combat use. The blade measures 6″, which is a fine size, albeit smaller than some might like.

Handle
The CRK Pacific has a Canvas Micarta Handle, sandblasted for optimal purchase. The handle also has three small grooves cut into the side of it for improved grip. The Pacific has one of the most comfortable handles of any high-end production combat fixed blade that I’ve ever handled, and for that reason it is my favourite. For me, the handle is comfortable, and flexible in all grip types. The full tang blade protrudes out from the edge of the handle slightly but is fully contoured all the way around for a comfortable feel. It even has a glass-breaker point on the end of the handle.

Fit & Finish
Like all Chris Reeve Knives products, the Pacific is immaculately finished to a very high standard. The CRK is probably the best finished production fixed blade I’ve ever handled, obviously without mirror polishing and fancy materials that are also gloss finished there isn’t the same opportunity for a high-level finish as with many custom pieces.

The Spec Ops sheath that comes with the Pacific alone costs around $85, making the $325 price tag seem much lower than it actually is.

Overall
An exceptional knife, with all the earmarks of a classic. With the endorsement of the US Army First Special Forces Group behind it, the pedigree is all there as well. Once you handle this knife in person, you truly understand what a great value it is, with outstanding steel and immaculate fit and finish that CRK has become known for. Throwing in a top-of-the-line Spec ops sheath is a smart move by CRK, and makes the knife useable right out of the box.

The CRK Umnumzaan is probably one of the most awaited knives of the last few years, with all the production problems causing a delay in new stock and consequently causing secondary market prices to rise, this knife is not easy to get a hold of. I received one in a trade and had a chance to carry it a bit and use it… It is indeed a very nice knife.

The ‘Zaan as we like to call it sometimes has an S30V blade, and machined Titanium handles. The thumbstuds have rubber dampers on them in order to make opening and closing the knife more quiet. The ball detent on the Umnumzaa is also unique in that it is a very large ceramic ball, which also doubles as the locking surface as it protrudes from both sides of the locking bar. This has made the knife very difficult to manufacture reliably.

Theoretically, the ceramic ball removes any worry of the lockup ever wearing out as it rolls onto the tang of the blade without rubbing against it causing it to wear over time. Strangely, the ball creates a very strong lockup, even though I feel like it would be stronger with a bar as opposed to a ceramic ball holding the blade out.

The Umnumzaan also has a dedicated notch for the lanyard, which is threaded into a floating pin that sits nice and snugly between the slabs. There is also a glass breaker point on the reverse of the blade tang that is usable when the knife is closed.

The new pivot also does not allow easy takedown of the knife, and already there are tools that can be purchased to adjust the pivot. The new machined handles are a nice addition as they make the knife much more grippy in the hand.

Chris Reeves has definately upped the ante with this new folder, and amazingly has been able to offer it at only a slight premium over the Sebenza. Currently production has been problematic, with very few units making it out the door so the folder is still very hard to get. But when you get it, you will see what makes this folder so special.

Specs:
Blade Length: 3.675″
Overall Lenght: 8.5″
Blade Steel: CPM S30V
Handle Material: Titanium

Video:

I’ve owned a few Chris Reeve Knives (CRK) Sebenzas in my day, and have watched them go from ATS-34 Steel to BG42 and then CPM-S30V. I’ve also owned one of each in the past, and had the pleasure of carrying and using all three of them. The two models shown here are in BG-42 (Unique Graphic) and S30V (Regular), and are of the regular configuration (Not Classic).

I’ve owned more regulars than classics in the years, mostly because of availability on the secondary market. I seem to see more regulars than anything else. My favourite Sebenza is still the small classic… though they all are very well crafted and make exceptional daily carry knives.

Stonewashed finish with a fairly thick hollow-ground blade, the Sebenza cuts very well, but is not what I would call a thin-bladed knife. It is designed to be fairly tough and resist chipping, but still slices tomatoes. The lock and action of a Sebenza is one of the most commented features. The lock engages very solidly, and has a stickiness that few other knives have copied successfully. The angle of the lock and blade tang are perfectly machined to achieve this effect.

Action is like butter! When opening the knife, you feel some resistance, but it is not resistance that you typically feel from an over-tightened pivot, it is just slight resistance of the perfectly fitted washers and handle slabs. This is the only knife I know of that you can tighten the pivot screw all the way down for it to work perfectly. There is no need to adjust the pivot.

Oh yes, and one of the first things you need to do when you get a new Sebenza, is reverse all the screws so that the front side doesn’t show the hex holes. You really can’t beat this knife for fit and finish… there’s nothing else like it out there, and the Sebenza has been around for a long time, with many, many copycats!

Blade Length: 3 1/2″
Overall Length: 8 1/4″
Blade Steel: ATS-34/BG-42/S30V
Handle Material: 6AL4V titanium
Weight: 4.5 oz.

Video Review:

Is there a more revered knife than the legendary Sebenza? You’d think it was Excalibur the way people talk about this thing! With perfect fit and perfect finish, why shouldn’t they? The Sebenza is probably the most perfectly built knife out there, bar none. Whether or not it’s the best knife is a matter of personal preference, however.

There are some people complain about the S30V in CRK’s newer Sebenza’s saying that the lower RC hardness in the 58-59 Range isn’t as good as the previous Sebenzas in BG42 steel at 60-61RC. Whether or not people just make these arguements to maintain the value of their BG42 Sebenzas I’m not sure. Both are wonderful steels and I have owned both blades, however I have not used either of them hard enough to judge which is better. I do find that it is easier to bring the BG42 Sebenza to a shaving sharp finish though.

The classic handle with the Micarta overlays has a bit more purchase to it, and feels a bit warmer to the touch. Titanium is already one of the warmer feeling metals, but this is just a bit more comfortable and inviting to hold than the basic model. Only a bit more money too.

The classic blade is a nice utility blade shape with a hollow grind, nice satin finish. As with all Sebenzas, the exact same buttery smooth action compliments the knife, with all the screws the perfect length so that you can tighten them all the way and the knife will be perfect. You cannot tighen the pivot too much with a Sebenza, isn’t that cool?

Enough yapping about the ‘benza.. now go and get one to try for yourself!

Blade Steel: CPM S30V 58-59 HRC
Blade Length: 2 7/8″
Open: 6 7/8″
Handle Material: 6AL4V titanium
Overlay Material: Canvas Micarta
Frame Thickness: 1/8″

The Shadow III is my first One-Peice fixed blade from CRK. I’ve handled several of them before at knife shows and peices that belonged to friends, and none of them really interested me until now. I received this knife as part of a trade, and wow, has it grown on me!

One thing I do have to say about this knife is that it is on the small side. The CRK One-peice knives actually get quite a bit more expensive as you go up in size, probably because the amount of material removed to make a longer blade is quite a bit more.

The handles handily open up in the back, just like a Rambo Knife! But these ones don’t compromise any structural integrity by doing so. The A2 steel is coated so it doesn’t oxidize, and the blade is razor sharp like all CRK stuff and wears a similar edge geometry and hollow ground blade as a Sebenza. In fact, it cuts a lot like a Sebenza.

The handle on the Shadow III is a bit short, so larger hands might be more comfortable with a larger model. The knife fits my smallers paws just fine though!

Overall Length: 8″
Blade Length: 4″
Blade Steel: A2
Weight: 6 oz
Sheath: Leather